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CNN Live At Daybreak

Seattle Man Indicted on Terror Charges

Aired August 29, 2002 - 06:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We begin this hour in Seattle, where a federal grand jury has indicted a well-known Islamic activist. He's accused of conspiring to set up an al Qaeda terrorist training camp in Oregon. The indictment says Earnest James Ujaama conspired to aid Osama bin Laden's terror network. He denies the allegation.
CNN's Kelli Arena has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): James Ujaama, a U.S. citizen, stands charged with being an agent of the al Qaeda terrorist network, operating in the United States.

JOHN MCKAY, U.S. ATTORNEY: The purposes of the conspiracy, as alleged in the indictment by the grand jury, including offering and providing facilities within the United States for those interested in violent jihad training, to provide safe houses in the United States for members of this conspiracy, to recruit individuals interested in violent jihad training.

ARENA: Ujaama has been held as a material witness in Alexandria, Virginia, according to federal officials, since late July. He proclaims in a statement his innocence, and accuses the government of -- quote -- "conducting a witch hunt."

His family has steadfastly denied that he has any terrorist involvement.

MUSTAFA UJAAMA, BROTHER: This issue is bigger than this, than him or me. This issue is dealing with America in our lives (ph).

ARENA: The 36-year-old Ujaama is not charged with committing any terrorist act, but with providing support for the al Qaeda network in a conspiracy dating back to 1999. Specifically those charges include planning to offer jihad training at a ranch in Bly, Oregon, the prosecutors say Ujaama compared to terrain in Afghanistan, and setting up a Web site promoting violent acts against the United States.

CHARLES MANDIGO, FBI: What we have to look at in this case is that the seriousness of support to terrorism that is equally important as the terrorist acts that may be committed by people.

ARENA: Sources describe Ujaama as a smaller fish caught in a larger investigation of a radical British cleric, Sheikh Abu Hamza. Investigators believe Hamza is actually a senior recruiter for al Qaeda, an allegation he denies. Officials say Ujaama attended Hamza's mosque in London while living there, as did Zacarias Moussaoui and the alleged shoe bomber, Richard Reid.

(On camera): There unnamed co-conspirators are mentioned in the Ujaama indictment and officials say that more charges could follow.

Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.

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